Robbie Coltrane, the actor who became famous for playing Rubeus Hagrid on Harry Potter has been confirmed dead at the age of 72.
Coltrane was sick for years, and passed away in a hospital near his home in Larbert, Scotland. Nobody has been able to confirm what he was battling yet.
Robbie, who was born Anthony Robert McMillan on March 30, 1950, in Rutherglen, near Glasgow, forged a career as an actor, comedian, and writer.
Harry Potter was not Robbie’s first film, as his acting career started back in the 70s, with him playing roles like Dr. Edward ‘Fitz’ Fitzgerald on the show “Cracker” from 1993-2006 as well as Valentin Zukovsky in “Goldeneye.”
He was the English author and lexicographer Samuel Johnson in the TV comedy series “Blackadder the Third” alongside “Mr Bean” star Rowan Atkinson and Hugh Laurie (“House”).
But he will best be remembered globally as Rubeus Hagrid, the half-giant half-human gamekeeper and Keeper of the Keys and Grounds of Hogwarts school in the film franchise of JK Rowling’s best-selling Harry Potter books.
Coltrane struggled with osteoarthritis, a disease that destroys your joints, saying in an interview back in 2020 at his worst moments, he was in “constant pain.”
He has also gone through knee replacement surgery, so he has had his fair share of hospitals.
Robbie is survived by his sister Annie Rae, his children Spencer and Alice and their mother Rhona Gemmell.
In a statement, Belinda Wright writes:
“My client and friend Robbie Coltrane OBE passed away on Friday October 14.” She also called him a unique talent.
“For me personally I shall remember him as an abidingly loyal client. As well as being a wonderful actor, he was forensically intelligent, brilliantly witty and after 40 years of being proud to be called his agent, I shall miss him.”
Coltrane was married to Rhona Gemmell from 1999-2003, and they had two children together.
